ADDIS ABABA CITY

ADMINISTRATION EDUCATION
BUREAU
TEST DEVELOPMENT AND
PREPARATION DIRECTORATE

TEST BLUEPRINT FOR GRADE 8 MODEL

ENGLISH EXAMINATION

Miyazya /2016 E.C

April/2024 G.C
Introduction

This specification is set on the basis of the 2016 grade 8 English syllabuses which are newly
developed and being implemented by all the schools. Nearly the 8th units contents addressed to
meet the intended objectives are identified and the items are specified and worked in line with the
time allotted to each unit in addition to expert judgment. This is because no specific time is
allocated for a topic of all content in the syllabuses. In accordance with the methodology used in
developing the test, this specification incorporates language skills other than listening.

It is better to take care the portion coverage. As mentioned in the above paragraph the text has 10
units but for this specification only 8 units are included; because the 1st model test administration
schedule students will not learn the last two units.

According to this specification 60 multiple choice item should be constricted according to test
constriction guideline and also against the behavioral dimension.

SUMMARY OF TABLE OF SPECIFICATION

skills No. of items in the behavioral dimension Total no. of items

LOT MOT HOT
(Knowledge & (application) (Analysis, Synthesis
comprehension) &evaluation)
Reading 13 - - 13
Speaking 1 5 1 7
Vocabulary 5 8 1 14
Grammar 3 10 13
Writing 3 8 2 13
total 24(40%) 31(51%) 4(7%) 60(100%)
 2016 E.C TEST BLUEPRINT FOR GRADE 8 MODEL ENGLISH EXAMINATION
Items needed against the behavioral
dimension
LOT MOT HOT Total
unit (Analysis No.
Period (Knowledge and and of
unit skill content Competencies allotment comprehension) (Application) synthesis item
Reading Passage comprehension Identify main ideas of a text. 2
Reading Sentence comprehension Scan for detailed information 2
Word practice related to the topic
(economy, income, tourism, mining, Use words related to economy
Vocabulary farming, non-farm activities, etc.) contextually 2
Use the active and passive
voice forms of the simple
present tense in explaining
facts. Writing about one’s
Active and passive simple present daily routines (everyday
Grammar tense activities)Sentence mechanics 1
Writing about one’s daily routines
(every day activities) Sentence
mechanics (capitalization, comma, Express daily activities in
conjunctions, full stop…)Writing a simple sentences with
1 Writing parallel paragraph appropriate mechanics. 15 2 9
Reading Reading Passage comprehension Read and comprehend a text 2
Vocabulary items related to the
2 Vocabulary topic use calendar related words 12 1 7
 Comparisons (similarities and Speak about similarities and
differences)Comparative adjectives differences using comparative
Grammar Wide /wider…than, more…than adjectives 2
Basics of paragraph writing (Unity, Construct sentences on
coherence, development, similarities and differences
Writing adequacy) using comparative adjectives. 2

Reading Reading Passage comprehension Read and comprehend a text 1

Asking and giving advice about
Speaking obeying traffic rules and regulations Ask for and give advice 2
Use words related to traffic
rules (i.e. speed, traffic light,
Vocabulary Words related to traffic rules etc.) in their daily 1
Modal verbs: Should/ ought to/ had
Grammar better… Give and receive advice 2
Write a friendly letter in
3 Writing Writing a friendly letter appropriate format 14 2 8
Reading Reading Passage comprehension Read and comprehend a text 2
Speaking Short animal story Summarize and retell a story. 1
Infer meanings of words
Wild animals, conservation, related
endangered, extinction, hunting, to animal conservation in
Vocabulary national parks, animal species… context 1
use the simple past and the
past continuous tense in
Grammar Past simple and past continuous context. 1
Re- arranging Jumbled sentences;
using cohesive devises and writing a Re-arrange sentences to make
paragraph about endangered a coherent narrative
4 Writing animal paragraph 12 2 7
Reading Reading Passage comprehension Read and comprehend a text 1
Cattle fattening, livestock, Construct sentences using
production, yield, beef cattle, words related to ‘cattle
Vocabulary economic benefit, etc. fattening’. 2
5 Grammar The present perfect tense Vs the Differentiate the function of 12 2 7
 simple past tense simple past and present
perfect tenses and use them
appropriately in sentences
Writes a well-structured
Writing Writing a memo memo 2
Reading Reading Passage comprehension Read and comprehend a text 1
Synonyms and antonyms , Prefixes Form new meaningful words
Vocabulary and suffixes using affixes 3
Differentiate the use of
defining and non-defining
Grammar Relative and non-relative clauses relative clauses in a context. 2
6 Writing Summarizing a Text Write a summary 12 1 7
Reading Reading Passage comprehension Read and comprehend a text 1
Argue for or against a
Speaking Agree or Disagree proposition 2
Charity, volunteer, humanitarian,
humanitarian crisis, generous, good Use the new words they have
will ambassador, poverty, learned in their daily
Vocabulary celebrities, etc. communication 2
The simple past Vs the past use the simple past and the
Grammar continuous tense past continuous tenses 1
7 Writing Narrative paragraph Narrative paragraph 12 1 7
Reading Reading Passage comprehension Read and comprehend a text 1
Speak about personal hygiene
Speaking Interviewing. using frequency adverbs 1
Speak and write about
personal hygiene using
Hygiene, health, clean, healthy, hygiene related words they
Vocabulary happy, successful, take care have learned. 3
Adverbs of frequency (Adverbs of
frequency Always, usually, Use adverbs of frequency
sometimes, often, never, Rarely, when speaking/writing
8 Grammar hardly ever frequent events. 15 2 8
 Use adverbs of frequency
when speaking/writing
Writing sentences using adverbs of frequent events.
Writing frequency Write a descriptive paragraph 1
total item 104 26 30 4 60